Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-09-22
FORTUNES WHEEL
PERSONS ON WHOM THE TICKLE
GODDESS HAS SMILED.
Many Instances Where Men and Wo-
men Have Been Lifted From Pow
crty and Misery 10 Wealth and
Luxury In Few Weeks.
New York Morning Journal1

| The past month has been one prolific of
good fortune for many people in the most
obscure walks of life. Ii used 10 be com
mon thing for INDECENT noblcmcn soiourning
in America leading miserable existence,
10 be suddenly raised from destitution by
the inheritance of their patrimony. But we
don't hear of many such eases now. The
wealth is not so widely distributed among
the titled nobility of the old world rs il used
10 be- The noble lord, duke, baron or
p.lnce, who sees any chance now of ever i'll
heriting competency, generally stays
home and looks after IL.
An interesting case was made known on
| the Sd of the present month. In one of the
! numerous concert dives of Cincinnati there
was engaged Scotchman named Warrald
Mackay. lie had started as a waiter i'll the
front of the house, but displaying some vo-
cal ability he was ut last elevated TO the
stage, where he got s. week for blacken-
ing his face, singing songs and telling moss
covered jokes.
One evening while he was in the midst of
song n messenger boy approached and
handed him message. Ii was from law
| yer, telling him 10 call upon him at once, rs
he had fallen heir 10 an estate in Scotland
valued nj 500, 900. He threw his tambor-
inc in the air, and, forgetting that his face
was blackened with burnt cork, flew
through the streets like madman 10 the
| lawyers house. Upon seeing him the law
yer said there must be some mistake, rs his
client was described as white man and
Scotchman.
"But aint white and Sotchman?" ask
ed Mackay, bewildered.
"No, you're black rs a coal. Get out Of
here" said the lawyer.
Explanations followed, and now the eX-
minstrel is riding around III a carriage, and
setting up wine for his old comrades of the
''profesh.'
Perhaps the most romantic case of the
month was that of little Catharine Fried
rich, which occurred on the 10th of last
| month at Lynn, Mass. Catharine is a child
of thirteen years. She came 10 this country
from Germany two years before with her
parents Shortly after their arrival at
| Lynn, where her father had journeyed to
| obtain work, he was taken i'll and soon
died. The mother and little Catharine were
| left penniless. The mother was unused Ia
work, coming of wealthy German family
| and having always livrd in luxury and
plenty. She had married against her pa
rents wishes and they had turned her from
their door, and, wishing To- leave the scene
| of her persecution, had persuaded her hus-
baud, carpenter, To cmigratc 10 America
| But il was necessary for her to woEIN L. sup-
port herself and child, and she obtained a
position in one of the mills, and the hard
work soon killed her.
Poor little Catharine was left alone in the
world She was taken care of for awhile
10y some Of the mothers fellow workwo-
| men,
The poor child pined under the afiiiction,
and appeared TO be most miserable, the.
bright smile having gone from her face.
At last she, too, was taken sick, and hover
ed at the point of death. While in this
state letter was brought TO her mistress
which was addressed 20 her dead mother.
The letter was opened and found 10 contain
| letter from the executor of her dead faith
er's estate, the old man having died. The
letter stated her presence was desired inGer-
many as soon rs possible to arrange for the
reception of her daughters inheritance,
which included the whole of the old mans
estate The father had died leaving his en-
tire property, valued at some 5000, 900 to re-
vert 10 little Catharine.
No time was lost upon the receipt of this
intelligence by Catharine's employers in
procuring for her the very best medical aid,
and the little girl was soon restored to
| health.
The executors letter contained draft
| upon n Boston banking house, and with the
money obtained upon it the girl was taken
| to Germany by friend and is now in a
seminary there.
Another strange case was that of Louis
De Beck, the post trader at the Boston navy
yard. He received word two weeks ago
that his grand-aunt, who had been dead
some years, had left an immense property
in Java, valued at g., 900, 600 guilders, or a
| bout S23, ,2JO, 900. This wealth is 10 be di-
vided between seventeen cousins, and Louis
De Beck is one of the fortunate seventeen.
He is the only one who lives in this country.
The others live in his native land, Belgium.
DE Beck had known for ten years past of
! the prize that was coming to him, and has
waited patiently for the disbursement of
the money. y short time ago he received
| nj.
ceive his share of the property. He viii
sail next month with his family, and will
! return in the winter to settle down TO life
of luxury in Boston.
Perhaps one of the most striking cases of
| the month was that of Bridget who is twenty
two years old. On the 22d of the month ,ac-
companied by her niece, Catherine Flanna-
| gan, she arrived ut Castle Garden. She was
en- route for Montana, where n fortune OF
| $50, 600 was awaiting her. Owing TO her
| straitened circumstances she was forced to
take passage in the steerage and had but
S25 on her arrival. This sum being insuffi-
cient to buy two tickets to Montana, Father
Riordan, the clergyman stationed ut Castle
Garden, wrote for instructions to Judge
Winter, the executor of the old woman's
son, who had left her the money. lie di-
rected TO send the woman on toWashington,
where they would be met by man who
would accompany them to their destinata-
ton. The next day the old woman and her
niece left Castle Garden on their long jour
ney across the continent.
! Althouph printers often strike n "fat
take" in the natural course of working
the hook" it is never for an amount sutfi-
cient to raise them Mt once above the incess-
ant pick, pick of their arduous life. The
biggest piece of "sheer grease" ever struck
| by any printer since Gutenberg created the
trade was that which fell to Mr.. w. Fl.
Fitzgerald, formerly of Sterling, Neb. but